


The Thorn In Your Side Is Alive

by DefaltManifesto



Series: Becoming a Pack [21]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, M/M, Nightmares, Oral Sex, Rimming, Slight Comeplay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-15
Updated: 2014-07-25
Packaged: 2018-02-08 22:35:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1958652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DefaltManifesto/pseuds/DefaltManifesto
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jackson knows rationally who his pack is, but he still feels the call of an Alpha long gone, and the guilt for those who died because of his actions is eating him from the inside out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> On another Say Anything kick so most likely the titles will go back to being words from Say Anything songs. Also, this will have another chapter posted relatively soon. It's only going to be two chapters long though. Then there's an Erica & Stiles as part 22. :D Thanks for reading, comments are loved.The title is taken from Skinny Mean Man by Say Anything.

[The tumblr](http://schizzar.tumblr.com)

 

Jackson met his father's eyes through the rearview mirror, jaw clenching tight at the somewhat hostile look. His father broke it first, given that he had to keep his gaze mostly on the road. His parents had given him permission to bring whoever he wanted on their annual Christmas trip, but they hadn't actually expected him to invite former criminal Derek Hale and cleared, but at one point suspected killer Isaac Lahey. Jackson suspected the fact that Derek had been blindingly sweet and friendly since he showed up made his father even angrier.

"You ever been skiing Isaac?" Jackson's mother asked. Her voice was pitched higher than normal, and all three of the werewolves exchanged looks at the blatantly fake note in her words.

"Uh, nah, I tried snow-boarding once. That was pretty embarrassing though."

"Oh, well maybe Jackson can teach you. He's won some competitions," his mom continued.

"Mom, those don't count, it was just a...rich people...thing," Jackson said.

"Oh...well..." His mom turned to look out the window, shoulders slumping.

Derek elbowed him in the side and Jackson glanced over at him, resisting the urge to bare his teeth at him when the Alpha gave him a pointed look.

"Maybe we could...sign up this year," Jackson said, a muscle in his jaw twitching at Derek's pleased look.

"Oh that would be wonderful!" His mother perked right up and began to chatter about all of Jackson's past competitions at their lodge.

Jackson zoned out and leaned up against Isaac, relaxing a bit when Isaac snuck his hand behind Jackson to rest against his lower back. He still felt like he was trying to fill up a hole in his chest. Each touch of his pack was like a shovel dumping in a bit of dirt, and it was helpful even if the pang of Olivia's loss was like a crane scooping out more than he'd gained. That didn't make the small touches and Derek's approving gaze mean any less though.

Jackson had never liked the damn Christmas trips, or at least he hadn't ever since he found out he was adopted. The whole concept of family changed for him then. He'd lost a family he hadn't even known and it made him so inexplicably sad, but then he felt guilty for that sadness because his mother began to cling to him, whispering how he was her baby boy and they were his family. Jackson decided then that she was a liar, because that's all she'd been doing, was still doing, and family didn't _lie_ , at least not in his mind. For all the flaws of his pack, at least no one was lying to his face any longer.

So he hated family events like this, because it was really just a house made up of lies and deception.

 

-.-

 

Jackson leaned up against the closed door of their car as Isaac jumped face first into a snow bank. His father frowned disapprovingly as he pulled out their luggage but Jackson elected to ignore him and tackled Isaac into the snow instead. Isaac yelped when Jackson shoved a handful of snow down his shirt, wriggling beneath him before finally managing to throw him off. Before Jackson could retaliate, Derek grabbed him by the back of his neck and hauled him backwards.

"Help your dad carry the bags in," Derek said.

Jackson obeyed without protest, grabbing two of the bags and following his father into their lodge. It was part of a group of other lodges that made up a community in the mountains of Colorado. Pretty much every set of parents had one lawyer and doctor, and went to a fancy prep school, and at one point, Jackson would have considered them to be his best friends, right behind Danny of course.

Now though, he wondered if he could stomach hanging around them so much.

"Explain something to me," his father said as they set down the bags in the master bedroom.

Jackson leaned against the doorframe. "Okay."

"Why do you just...do whatever it is that Derek asks of you? You never obey that readily with your mother or I."

"Dunno." Jackson felt guilty, but not for lying. Rather, he felt guilty that he _didn't_ feel guilty in the first place.

"Right, well just try and make this vacation a little bit relaxing for your mother, alright?"

"Whatever you say," Jackson said as he headed out of the room.

 

-.-

 

"Dude, this is _your_ room? Just yours?" Isaac flopped down on the king sized mattress in the middle of the huge room, turning onto his stomach so he could look out at the snow covered mountains through the window that took up an entire wall of Jackson's room.

"Uh, yeah," Jackson said. "It's a bit-"

"Awesome," Isaac said.

Jackson knocked his bag over so he could unzip it and began pulling out clothes. Two awful, or possibly wonderful, weeks meant a lot of clothes, especially given how many special 'events' his mother wanted him to be apart of. Networking and all the other socializing Jackson really didn't feel like doing.

"Dude, seriously, are you getting self conscious about how rich you are?" Isaac asked.

Jackson straightened with an armful of clothes and carried them over to the dresser beside the large walk-in closet. "I don't know, I guess. I just...don't want to look like a spoiled brat or something."

Isaac raised an eyebrow. "Well that's new. You've never really been the type to not want to flaunt your stuff in everyone's face."

"Yeah well, I've got an image to uphold with the rest of the world. It just feels...tasteless if I brag to you guys," Jackson said. He began to shove clothes haphazardly into the drawers, suddenly feeling jumpy and tense, which made every action jerking and rough.

Isaac rolled off the bed and stepped over to him to take the clothes out of Jackson's hands and place them on top of the drawer instead, before setting about fixing the ones he'd already crammed away. Jackson stepped back, ducking his head. Once Isaac was done, he turned back to Jackson and folded his arms across his chest.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, totally fine," Jackson said.

"Man, you aren't even _trying_ to lie anymore," Isaac said. He huffed and then wrapped his arms around Jackson to tug him closer. "The point of Derek and I even coming with you is to make sure you stay relaxed and don't have to lie...at least not to us. We're not about to say you're wrong for feeling whatever you feel."

The bedroom door opened and Derek stepped in, eyes wide. "Jackson, your mother is a monster. She would not stop talking."

Jackson snorted, turning away from Isaac to look at the Alpha. "Were you able to keep smiling though?"

"Barely," Derek said. "What's going on here? Everything okay?"

"Jesus Christ!" Jackson ripped away from Isaac. "Yes, I'm fine, can we stop asking that question every five seconds?"

"Sorry. I...forgot," Derek said. He folded his arms across his chest, and his next words were much more authoritative. "Tell me what's wrong then."

"I just feel, weird...having you guys here and seeing how I live. You must think I'm an idiot for being this upset when I've got all of this," Jackson said, the words spilling out of him at Derek's commanding tone.

"The money your parents have has nothing to do with what happened to you," Derek said. "Neither of us are about to turn our backs on you just because you happen to have a lot of money or something."

Jackson deflated, the reassurance from Derek helping soothe his nerves. Isaac gave him an odd look as he moved back over to flop back on the bed. "Yeah, you're right."

"Also your mom wants us for dinner as soon as we're done unpacking," Derek said.

"Great," Jackson said.

 

-.-

 

Dinner could have been worse, but once it was over, Jackson led them both out to their shed where they kept all their skiing and snowboarding equipment.

"I really don't think this is going to go very well," Isaac said. "I'm telling you, the last time I did this I fell on my face and also broke three fingers."

"That was before you had werewolf powers," Jackson said. He pulled out the first board, sizing it up against Isaac and then shoving it into his hands. "See how that works for you."

Isaac stared at Jackson, then Derek. "Just one more time, this is going to end horribly."

"Just make sure it fits and you can make a fool of yourself later and prove us wrong," Jackson said. He pulled out another board and tossed it to Derek before grabbing his own as well.

He fit his feet into the straps and locked them closed, making sure everything still fit before taking it off and setting it up on his shoulder and turning towards the others. Isaac was sitting on the ground, wrestling with one of the straps while Derek stared at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Okay, both of you can stop giving me those superior looks and actually help me get out of this shit," Isaac said.

"Does it fit then?" Derek asked.

"Yes, yes, now help," Isaac said.

Derek rolled his eyes and knelt down in the snow, undoing the straps in two quick motions before pulling the board off Isaac's feet and placing that on his shoulder alongside his own board. He extended a hand to help a disgruntled Isaac up and then turned to Jackson.

"Lead the way then," Derek said.

Jackson headed for the trail that led from their cabin to the main lodge, glancing over his shoulder out of curiosity a few times. "You seem to know your way around this sort of thing Derek."        

"Laura took me and my sister into the mountains a lot when we were younger," Derek said. "I haven't done it since then but I suppose it's muscle memory."

"I guess we can keep Isaac going between the two of us then," Jackson said.

"Ha, ha," Isaac drawled.

The trek to the lodge normally took Jackson a few minutes, but with Isaac and Derek, they got side tracked by mini snow fights and wrestling and shoving snow down each other's snow jackets. It was weird, knowing his werewolf abilities would keep him from getting too cold no matter what they did. When they reached the lodge, Jackson could feel the unpleasant fear of being judged creep back into his chest.

The lodge was huge, with it's own fine dining restaurant, snow equipment store, as well as various media rooms and lounge areas with numerous electrical fire places to give it a real 'homey' feeling. There were plenty of people hanging around, those who were not about to go outside, dressed in fancy suits that probably cost more than Isaac's old house. Well, that was a slight exaggeration, but the flaunted wealth and the snippets of conversations were enough to make Jackson feel uncomfortable about the world he had brought them into.

"Let's just...get out to the slopes," Jackson said, keeping his head down as he lead them through the main room and down one of the hallways to take them to the snowboarding hills.

Derek's hand rested in the middle of his back, a heavy weight that could have been read by the outsider as just pushing Jackson along, but Jackson felt his heart rate calm. The hand didn't stay long, but it was enough to bring him back into his body, without the panic.

"We are starting on beginner slopes, right?" Isaac asked as they stepped back outside.

Jackson felt his lips stretch into a grin as an idea entered his head. "Yeah, totally."

"Are you sure, I could swear your heartbeat-"

Derek shoved Isaac down into the snow. "You're just being paranoid, Isaac, come on."

When they arrived at the top of the hill, mostly empty thanks to the fact that the sun was setting and most people didn't feel like chancing it, Jackson helped Isaac get his feet strapped in before taking care of his own. He and Derek shared a quick look before pushing themselves up on their feet.

"Okay how the hell do I do this?" Isaac asked.

"Trust your instincts, you're a werewolf," Derek said. He pushed at Isaac's back to send him forward.

Jackson was quick to follow after Isaac's flailing form, laughing as the wind carried Isaac's cursing back to his ears. Isaac managed quite well, mostly able to push himself back upright before he crashed. Derek and Jackson were able to weave around him, slowing their pace to get behind him and give him another 'encouraging' push as they maneuvered around bumps and obstacles. Eventually though, Isaac's luck ran out and he wiped out, but he managed to knock out Derek's board from beneath him and send him crashing into Jackson in the process.

By the time they came to a stop, Jackson had lost his board in the snow and his legs were tangled with Isaac's, and Derek was sprawled haphazardly on top of them. After a good amount of twisting, they managed to kick their boards off, laughing as they twisted around one another. Jackson ended up with Derek on top of him and for a moment, all Jackson could see where the glowing red of eyes of his Alpha, full of warmth and something else that Jackson didn't want to dissect or examine too hard.

Derek pressed their lips together, hand fisting in Jackson's hair. His lips were cold, but his hand was warmer than the snow his head was pressed into. Jackson let his eyes slide close, glove-covered fingers curling in the snow. Derek sucked at his lower lip and Jackson almost moaned, but the sound died in his throat when he heard the sound of an approaching board across the snow. He shoved Derek off and rolled to his feet, grateful for the darkness that protected their actions from being seen by the approaching ranger. The ranger flashed his light over first Isaac, then Derek, and finally Jackson.

"You utter twat. I was wondering when you were going to show up Jackson. Figures it'd be you down here."

"Oh. Hi, Paul." Jackson accepted the man's hand and gripped it in a tight shake.

"...British," Isaac said, tilting his head to the side.

"Scottish actually. Pleasure to meet you, even if I am technically here to yell at you about boarding on the slopes after dark," Paul said with a friendly smile. "So you know, shame on you."

"Yeah, sorry," Jackson said, moving to grab his board. Derek and Isaac did the same.

"One day, I'll actually believe you when you apologize," Paul said as he tossed an arm over Jackson's shoulders.

Both Derek and Isaac tensed but Jackson doubted Paul noticed. The ranger released him after a moment to unstrap his feet so they could begin their steady trek up the slopes together.

"So how long have you known Jackson? Derek asked.

"Six years. He was the first little tit I met when I started working here," Paul said. "You were trying to take on the hardest track in the dead of the night, remember?"

Jackson shoved his elbow into Paul's side. "Yes, I remember. No need to relive the embarrassing moments of my childhood."

Before Paul could say anymore, Isaac spoke up. "So what's a Scottish guy doing in Colorado for six years?"

"A bit of a drifter, me. I go where the jobs are, as long as they're far from the home town," Paul said.

"You running from something?" Derek asked.

Jackson gave him a somewhat scandalized expression, but Paul just laughed.

"Hardly. I just get bored hanging around the same place. I'm only here during the winter. Spend the rest of my year backpacking across the world," Paul said.

"That sounds _awesome_ ," Isaac said with a grin.

"Innit?" Paul's grin matched Isaac's in brightness. "Well, I've brought you boys back to the lodge. Now get inside and act ashamed for the sake of my job, alright?"

"Yeah, yeah," Jackson said. "See you 'round."

Paul gave an exaggerated bow. "Of course."

Derek, Isaac, and Jackson made their way quickly through the lodge and back onto the trail that would lead them to the Whittemore's cabin.

"It's weird, seeing you here," Isaac said. "You've got friends like that Paul guy that none of us ever knew about."

"Danny knows him," Jackson said.

Isaac rolled his eyes. "Danny doesn't count."

"Well it's not like Paul's exactly a friend," Jackson continued. "The dude's like, twenty years older than me."

"He seemed pretty friendly with you," Derek said.

Jackson scoffed. "Are you guys actually jealous that I _might_ have other friends?"

"He was a stranger and he was touching you," Derek said with a nonchalant shrug. "I'll just erase the smell later."

Jackson flushed, a muffled heat starting low in his gut at the possessive words. "Oh...well then."

"When we get back, take a shower with Isaac," Derek said, his tone commanding. "Then spread yourself out on your bed and wait for me."

Jackson shuddered, glanced at the cabin to make sure his parents weren't anywhere in sight. Then, he growled and pushed Derek against the nearest tree and slammed their lips together, biting at Derek's lower lip until he tasted blood, tasted his Alpha, bloom across his tongue. Derek pried his gloves off and tossed them to Isaac before fisting his fingers in Jackson's hair and yanking his head back so that Jackson was forced to bare his throat.

"You need to be taught some patience, don't you pup?" Derek hissed out against the skin of Jackson's neck.

"Yes..." Jackson's eyes slid shut.

"Good boy. Go take that shower. I'll make sure your parents are asleep." Derek released Jackson and strode off towards the cabin.

Isaac caught Jackson as he slumped back, and Jackson could feel him smiling against his neck. "Your heart's pounding."

"Yeah, why do you think?" Jackson asked with a breathless laugh.

"You good though? I know this sorta thing can be hard for you."

Jackson turned and stepped back. "I'm golden. Let's hurry up before our dear Alpha himself gets impatient."

 

-.-

 

Jackson's parents were two floors down from Jackson's room and dead asleep by Derek's assessment. Isaac tugged Jackson into his spacious bathroom and after one look at the large bathtub, chose to fill it while he stripped himself and Jackson of their clothes. Isaac knelt as the bathtub filled, working over Jackson's cock with his lips. By the time Isaac reached out to stop the flow of water, Jackson's cock had filled out completely and it took all his self-restraint to not start jerking off.

Isaac stepped into the tub first, bracing his back against one side so that Jackson could fit easily between his legs. Then, much to Jackson's displeasure, Isaac set about washing him. And only that. No kisses or touches of his cock, just the steady movement of a soapy cloth over every bit of his skin. The most sexual it got was Isaac's fingers at his hole, but even that was a methodical check to ensure he was nice and clean everywhere. Despite that, Jackson remained hard, the anticipation of what was to come proving to be too much.

"If it's too much, you can always say no," Isaac said, pulling the plug out of the drain out with his toes before getting to his feet and stepping out of the tub. "Derek and I have been discussing this for awhile now."

            Jackson raised an eyebrow as he got out of the tub as well. "Discussing what?"

"How to make you feel like your Alpha is in charge again, and that he's going to take care of you. After all, I know all about your submission kink," Isaac said as he dried off with his towel. He stepped closer and used the same towel to dry Jackson off, rubbing his scent into Jackson's skin. "I know how much you like servicing my cock, on your knees. I know just how much you need to be a good boy."

Jackson's eyes slid shut as he gave a full body shudder. It was a true. Isaac was the only one who really knew about how much Jackson wanted to be dominated, had been the only one to actually do so. It was a relief to know that Isaac was going to be there was Derek coaxed those urges out of him. Which, the thought of Derek dominating him, all that strength and powerful muscles and dark red eyes ready to manipulate Jackson into whatever he wanted...it made his knees weak.

"C'mon," Isaac said, tugging Jackson out of the bathroom. "Do you want to be tied up?"

Jackson stared at the wide bed, thinking about being stretched out all alone in all that space. "No...just...can you restrain me? Just you."

"Yeah," Isaac said.

He kissed Jackson's cheek and led him over to the bed. Jackson crawled up on it and waited for Isaac to readjust the pillows before climbing up as well. Isaac leaned back and spread his legs and without needing to be told, Jackson moved to lean back against Isaac's chest, and he let Isaac manipulate his body so that his legs were spread out with his heels on either side of Isaac's knees. Next, Isaac grabbed a pillow to put beneath Jackson, tilting him so his hole was exposed with no way to close his legs.

"Okay?" Isaac asked, warm hands sliding up and down Jackson's thighs.

"Yeah, yeah," Jackson said.

The bedroom door opened and Derek stepped inside dressed in sweatpants but forgoing the t-shirt. His eyes glowed red at the sight Jackson presented for him. He kicked the door shut and crawled up onto the bed, eyes locked with Jackson's as he did so.

"Good pups, doing exactly as I say," Derek said. "You want a reward?"

Jackson gave a nod, unable to vocalize what he wanted. Derek dropped his gaze to Jackson's cock and he kissed the tip before giving sucking kisses down to his balls. Fangs elongated and scraped against the sensitive skin drawn tight over his sac. Jackson's head flew back, a breathy gasp choking its way out of his chest. Isaac locked a firm arm around his waist, forcing Jackson to hold still as Derek let the fangs retract so he could suck one ball into his mouth and lave his tongue over it again and again. Jackson tried to jerk away over and over just to feel Isaac's arm tighten around him.

Derek licked a stripe up Jackson's cock to suck at the tip before bobbing down and burying it all the way down his throat. Jackson keened, eyes rolling back as the pleasure of Derek's warm and constricting throat working around his cock threatened to overwhelm.

"C-Can I come?" Jackson whimpered, fingers curling in the comforter.

"No," Isaac said. "Not yet."

Jackson whined as Derek swallowed, the action squeezing his cock even tighter. Derek pulled off and replaced his mouth with his hand.

"Now you can," Derek said. "I want you to come all over my fist."

Derek looked up at him and the burning, commanding red of his eyes had his balls tightening. He shot his load splattering on Derek's fist and his own belly, breath heaving. Derek slicked his fingers up with Jackson's spunk and rose up on his knees as Jackson went limp. His fingers slid into Isaac's mouth and another, almost painful surge of arousal shot up Jackson's back as he listened to Isaac lap up his come.

"Now that you've got that, time for me to enjoy you," Derek said, sitting back on his heels.

He pressed his lips to Jackson's, and the kiss seemed to help calm him down the rest of the way. Jackson relaxed back into Isaac's grip and let the other beta turn his head to press their lips together. He could taste himself on Isaac's lips and it sent another rush of pleasure radiating through him. Derek's tongue lapped over his hole and Jackson broke their kiss as his thighs began to shake.

"Shit...Derek..." Jackson's voice was soft.

Derek's thumbs stretched open Jackson's hole and sunk his tongue in. Jackson's toes curled as Derek soaked his entrance with spit. For a while, as Jackson squirmed and whined under Derek's attention, he wondered when Derek was going to stretch him open, especially as his cock began to fill out once more.

"Derek..." Jackson reached down, pulling at Derek's hair until the Alpha pulled back and looked up at him. "Are you going to fuck me?"

"Do you want me to?"

Jackson looked down at him, biting the inside of his cheek. "I don't know."

"Then we'll wait," Derek said.

Then his mouth was sucking at Jackson's entrance once more and Jackson's fingers were sinking into his hair. It was the only leverage he had, spread as he was over Isaac's lap, and Derek didn't let up no matter how much he tugged. After all, the only words falling from his lips were Derek's name and soft, begging notes of-

"More, please, please, I need more Derek, need you, please-"

Derek pulled back, sliding up Jackson's body to muffle his words with a kiss. He eased back and pressed their foreheads together.

"What do you need from me?" Derek asked.        

Jackson sucked in a harsh, sobbing breath. "You, please, please..."

Derek pushed his sweatpants down and kicked them off the edge of the bed.

"Stroke me off then. Get my come, my _scent_ all over you," Derek hissed.

Isaac let Jackson lean forward as Derek pushed closer between their spread legs. He spit down on his hand and then wrapped his fingers around Derek's cock, stroking fast and hard, so eager to have Derek's come on him, needing it, needing some physical proof that he _wasn't anyone else's he was Derek's, Derek was his Alpha-_

"Fuck, yes, perfect Jackson, perfect, you're so perfect," Derek panted out, hips jerking up into Jackson's hand.

His come splattered over Jackson's hand and Jackson immediately dropped his hand to grab his own cock even as Derek continued to shoot his come over Jackson's stomach. He leaned back hard into Isaac, eyes sliding shut as his hand stripped over his cock, chasing his own pleasure desperately while he was still braced between his Alpha and his packmate. He came with a ragged, sobbing cry, shuddering through his orgasm before going limp as tears began to stream from his eyes.

Jackson squeezed his eyes shut tight as Isaac and Derek began to move and twist around him. He curled up on his side on the comforter as Isaac maneuvered him so that he was spooning Jackson with his taller, lankier form. He continued to cry as Derek left and then returned with a warm, wet cloth to wipe him down with. The tears were still there as Derek moved them both enough to pull the covers back and tuck them in before slipping beneath the covers and plastering himself to Jackson's front.

Jackson wrapped his arms around Derek's shoulders and buried his face in the Alpha's neck. His scent was stronger there, and Jackson breathed it in until his tears dried up and his limbs stopped trembling. His eyes drifted shut. He fell asleep as the last bit of tension drained out of him.

 

-.-

 

The flash of electricity blinded him, but not to Aaron's eyes that were slowly glazing over, and despite the disorientation, he could hear the growls of his packmates. But they _weren't_ his packmates. They _weren't_ important. And yet the blood dripping on his shirt from the arrow that pierced Aaron's torso filled him with such horror and fear and _pain_.

_Don't be dead. Don't die for me. I don't deserve it, I'm not your packmate, why would you do this, I'm not worth-_

 

-.-

 

Jackson's scream was muffled by a clamped hand over his mouth. He thrashed beneath Derek's strong grip and as panic mounted, Derek moved his hand and then let him go, rocking back to sit on his heels. Jackson jerked upright, sucking in a gulping breath as his claws poked into the comforter.

Long fingers curled around his wrists, prying his hands loose without tearing the fabric. With a pained whine, Jackson leaned back into Isaac's grip. The beta's familiar scent flooded his senses and he went limp even as he continued to shake. He reached out to grab Derek's hand, and Derek accepted it, keeping a tight grip on Jackson's hand though he continued to hang back in an effort not to crowd Jackson too much.

Slowly, his breathing regulated and his eyes actually adjusted to the dark and he was able to pick out Derek's facial expression. He was worried, and uncertain too, like he wasn't sure how to move without startling Jackson. After a moment, Jackson tugged him closer, a relieved sigh escaping him as Derek's weight settled over him. Isaac nuzzled his neck, kissing whatever bit of skin he could reach.

"What's wrong?" Isaac asked.

"Nightmares," Jackson said.

"Was it Olivia's pack?" Derek asked.

Jackson tensed, surprised at his words. "Yeah, how did you..."

"Lucky guess. You were...mumbling in your sleep. That's what woke me up. It's how I knew you were going to start screaming and I didn't want to wake your parents." With each word, Jackson could feel the rumble of sound in Derek's chest, and he let his eyes slide shut as Derek continued to talk. "You can't blame yourself for anything that happened, Jackson. You're just going to make it harder on yourself if you keep doing that. No one's death is on your hands."

"I know..."

"You going to be able to go back to sleep?"

After a moment's hesitation, Jackson nodded. Slowly, they rearranged themselves, though this time Jackson crawled almost entirely on top of Derek, needing his warmth and his scent close by, reminding him that he was with his real pack now, his real pack which was safe and capable of protecting him and themselves. Capable of handling a group of hunters and a pack. They would be fine. He knew that.

Jackson wasn't able to fall back asleep.

           


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of plot of the over-arching series accidentally slipped into this chapter. Whoops. No regrets. The next part should be up sometime this weekend. :)

The next day at breakfast, Jackson's mother placed an itinerary in front of him along with a plate of pancakes and bacon.

"You're taking Lauren for coffee in a half hour, then meeting with James and his girlfriend Nicole with Lauren for lunch," she said. She put a plate of food in front of Isaac and Derek as well. "I also signed you up for the snowboarding race this afternoon."

"Mom, why-"

"You're junior year is half way done," Jackson's father said. "You've lost nearly all your contacts at _your_ school in your quest to become an absolute recluse. You need to start networking with the people you'll be spending your career life with. These are important people, Jackson. Your mother and I are just making sure you fall in with the right ones."

While Derek tensed on Jackson's left, but Isaac positively bristled at the words. Jackson shoved his foot against Isaac's before the other beta could even think about lashing out. Besides, he wanted to see how this played out. It had been so long since the last time his parents had actually demanded he do something, let alone stand up to him when he started to object.

"Okay, fine, am I supposed to just leave Derek and Isaac alone?"

"We called Paul," his mother said. "He's going to take them out into the back country for the afternoon."

"Fine."

Everyone at the table seemed surprised at Jackson's acquiesce, but no one made any further comment. Jackson shoveled his food down and wondered how he was going to stomach the company of his so-called peers.

 

-.-

 

Paul was a nice enough guy. Isaac was a bit bothered by the fact that he still didn't know what the guy's hair color was given they had yet to see him when he wasn't completely bundled up. His smile did manage to cheer Isaac up to some degree though; the guy was just too damn excited about life not to be.

"So there's no actual trail back here," Paul said as they came to a halt at the top of one of the hills. "Usually only the advanced riders are allowed out here, but I owe Mrs. Whittemore a few favors and I figure werewolves like yourself will be just fine."

Isaac almost dropped his board in shock, but before he could move, Derek had shoved Isaac aside to grab Paul by the throat, though the gesture was still more threatening than deadly. Paul seemed unfazed by it.

"Oh, calm down, I can smell your kind a mile off. Really, I've no intent to harm," Paul said. "Though I did wonder how Jackson got turned and fell in with the lot of you, not that that's a bad thing. The kid could use some actual friends."

Derek released him and stepped back, but Isaac could see his claws were still out. "What are you?"

"A Selkie," Paul said. "Our disguises fool all senses, even a werewolf's. Now, can we just enjoy ourselves now that we're all on the same page?"

"Why even bring any of this up?" Derek asked. "You could've just kept your mouth shut."

"But then all of this would be a lie. You'd have to suppress your instincts and that's no fun," Paul said with a beaming smile. "It's only fun when we're all being our true selves, right?"

"Okay, sure, but what's a Selkie?" Isaac asked.

"He's a were-seal, basically," Derek said. "Didn't realize I wouldn't be able to recognize your scent."

"Right..." Isaac looked him up and down and then shrugged. "So can you teach me how to properly snowboard unlike my useless Alpha and packmate?"

Derek elbowed Isaac's side.

"Yeah, I can do that."

Paul was patient, walking Isaac through how to adjust the straps and how to best keep his balance. After a bit of huffing, Derek started paying attention as well, if only to refresh his memory. They tried a few hills, well as many as Isaac's pathetic momentum could achieve before he wiped out spectacularly and Paul had to run off to grab Isaac's board that had gone flying through the air. After that, Isaac stayed stubbornly seated on top of his board instead, not quite up to embarrassing himself even further.

"Were you the one that taught Jackson?" Isaac asked as Paul and Derek both took a seat on the snow-covered ground in front of him.

"Yup, he was only ten or eleven I'd say. Absolute, spoiled little wanker," Paul said. "He's gotten better over the years."

"Was his mom always so..." Derek trailed off as he searched for the right word.

"Controlling? Yeah," Paul said. "His parents have plans for him. Out here, surrounded by all these rich folks...you gotta take advantage of that I suppose."

"It makes him really unhappy," Isaac said.

Paul snorted. "Well yeah, anyone with eyes can see that. So what are you going to do about it?"

"What do you mean?" Derek asked.

"Are you gonna stay out here with me and face plant in the snow over and over because his stone dead parents said so, or are you going to go save him from all those boring humans who don't know a thing about him?" Paul asked, raising a challenging eyebrow.

For a moment, Isaac thought Derek was going to lash out again, but instead, a thoughtful look came over his expression.

"Well stay with you for now. Jackson needs time to process things away from us," Derek said.

"Oh, splendid, pack dynamics," Paul said, clapping his gloved hands together.

"I'm not about to tell you anything about that," Derek said. He turned his gaze to Isaac. "You ready to give it another go?"

Isaac groaned and then pushed himself to his feet before shoving his feet into the straps and hooking himself in. Paul grinned at him and did the same.

"I'll lead the way. Just follow where I go. Don't think about it. You're a werewolf for Christ's sake. You don't need to think when you've got instinct," Paul said, cuffing the side of Isaac's head.

Isaac swatted at his hand, then glanced at Derek. The Alpha had the beginnings of a smile on his face. If Jackson wanted to follow his parents' wishes for a little while, they'd let him; after all, he'd spent too much of his time having people rip away his ability to make his own choices.

 

-.-

 

Jackson swirled his straw around through his drink, trying to look at least somewhat interested in what James was talking about. Something to do with some sporting thing his private school had won, but it wasn't even lacrosse so Jackson didn't even bother trying to keep up with his descriptions of the plays. Lauren and Nicole were hanging off the kid's every word, which Jackson realized as he watched them was totally faked on their part. He didn't need werewolf senses to notice the look they kept giving one another and the flushes that crept up their neck whenever they caught one another staring.

They didn't have the faintest interest in James either, and yet here they all were, pretending that they did because they could only make friends among the 'cultured' folk.

"So what about your 'school', Jackson?" James asked, leaning back in the booth and popping a fry in his mouth. "Do you have anything like that?"

"We won state championship for lacrosse last year," Jackson said with a shrug.

James rolled his eyes. "Right, isn't that the one where you all just hit each other with sticks?"

Jackson ducked his head so no one would catch the way his eyes flashed blue for a bare second. "Yeah, whatever man."

"Oh wait, I think I remember reading about that actually," James said. "It was in a couple newspapers. Didn't you off yourself during that game?"

Lauren kicked James under the table and Nicole curled up closer to the window, but James didn't seem to mind, a smug smile on his face as he stared at Jackson. Jackson sucked in a tight breath and as he released it, the _fuck you_ smile he'd long ago learned from Lydia stretched across his lips. He folded his hands together on the table and leaned forward while setting his shoulders, doing his best to emulate Derek's posture whenever he started giving orders to his pack. James' smile died almost immediately.

"Yes, actually, I did," Jackson said. "And you know, it sort of didn't work out the way I'd hoped but here I am. Did the paper happen to mention _how_ I almost died?"

"Jackson," Lauren said, hand reaching out to touch his shoulder.

Jackson pretended not to notice it, instead keeping his gaze locked with James'. "You see, I cut my stomach open with this small knife. It hurt like a bitch, and you know, if I didn't black out so quickly, I might have seen my guts spill out on the ground."

James' looked like he was going to puke.

"So, James, to answer your question, yes, I did do that," Jackson said. "Maybe next time don't ask questions you can't handle the answers to, yeah?" He reached out and tapped James' cheek before leaning back and smiling at Lauren. "I need to go get ready for that race today. You and Nicole can come with me if you'd like. I promise not to talk anymore of dull, insensitive topics."

"Yeah, let's go," Nicole said. She flipped her red hair over one shoulder, smacking James in the face with it as she grabbed her purse before shoving him out of the booth and getting to her feet. "You can handle the bill, can't you James?"

She didn't wait for his response, instead reaching out to grab Jackson's hand and tug him after her with Lauren scampering behind them. Once they were out of the restaurant and back into the main part of the lodge, she released Jackson's hand and turned to face him.

"I'm sorry about him," she said. "He's become even more of an ass in the last year than usual."

"It's fine," Jackson said. "You know if...you two want to hang out on your own, I promise to vouch for you if your mothers ask if you were with me or not."

Lauren flushed bright red and ducked her head, her long brown curls shielding her face completely from view as Nicole wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"Thanks, Jackson," Nicole said. "We appreciate it. You're not a bad guy. Just ignore James."

"Yeah, I will," Jackson said. "See you around."

Nicole smiled and kissed his cheek before dropping her arm from around Lauren's shoulders and heading off with her to another part of the lodge. Jackson fished out his phone and shot Isaac a text, letting them know he was heading back for a nap before the race.

He didn't know what it was, but something about the encounter had Jackson's blood racing through his veins in a way that it hadn't in a long time, and he could feel nervous energy coursing through him. Derek coddled him. Sure, he gave him orders, especially since Jackson had finally asked for him to do so, but Jackson hadn't been able to stand up to someone and actually _win_ in quite some time. He grinned. He really did hope James attempted the race. It would be nice to beat him at something the kid thought he was actually good at.

           

-.-

 

"Who the fuck is James Long?"

Paul slid into the booth across from Isaac and Derek with mugs of hot chocolate for all three of them. "He's a prick, but he's harmless, why?"

Isaac shoved his phone down on the table and slid it across to reveal Jackson's retelling of what James had said to him. Paul tugged off his wool cap to reveal a shock of blue hair, a hopeless mess he didn't seem to care about from the way he was twisting the cap in his clenched fists. Derek snatched the phone up, scrolling through the message. His hand tightened around the phone and the screen cracked before Isaac managed to wrestle it away from him, barely saving it from destruction.

"I'm going to kill him," Isaac said as he shoved his phone into his pocket.

"I would advise against that," Paul said, but his blue eyes were just as angry as theirs. "Let...Jackson deal with this himself. He needs that."

"How the fuck do you know what he needs?" Derek hissed, voice quiet so as not to draw unnecessary attention to themselves.

"You might be his pack but I was one of the few people he talked to when he was younger," Paul said. "And I know how he feels about the other kids he grew up with here. Let him deal with it. Even if we do want to jump to his aide. Besides, he said he's going to beat James in the race this afternoon, didn't he? That will be humiliating enough for someone like James. Jackson knows that."

"I'm still going to kill him," Isaac said.

Paul bit back his angry retort by sipping his hot chocolate instead. Once he set it down back on the table, he spoke again, but this time in a much calmer voice. "We can support him at the race. That's what he needs."

"You don't know what he needs," Derek said.

"Oh?" Paul raised a blond eyebrow. "And you do? You know, I can smell how disconnected you all are. There's something missing between you, so obviously you don't understand him as much as you think you do."

"You know, I'm starting to really not like you," Isaac said. "I didn't realize Selkies got to sniff out all our thoughts and emotions."

Paul shrugged and leaned back against his seat. "Selkies live longer than werewolves, I've had a lot of practice."

"How old are you then?" Isaac asked.

"217," Paul said with a cheeky smile.

"And the hair, is that a Selkie thing too?" Derek asked. His voice was still tight but Isaac could feel him starting to relax, slumping a bit into Isaac as he did so.

A short laugh burst from Paul's lips. "Nah, mate, that's just me. I like hair dye, what can I say?" He shrugged. "Finish your hot cocoa so I can bring you guys up to the slope the race is going to happen on. You can give your boy congratulations when he wins against every one else. He was good before; I imagine with the bite you gave him, he'll be even better. I'm assuming you are the one that turned him."

Derek nodded. "Yeah. He wouldn't stop asking."

"Seems like Jackson. He was never satisfied with what he managed to accomplish," Paul said.

"So he's always been like that then," Isaac said with a slight eye roll.

"Ever since he found out he was adopted, yeah," Paul said.

"He told you?" Derek asked.

Paul shook his head and tapped the side of his nose. "C'mon now, mate, keep up. I can smell when people are related."

"You can smell just about everything, my God," Isaac said.

"Pretty much. Like how you're not _quite_ an Alpha," Paul said with a short nod in Derek's direction. "And how Jackson used to be a Kanima too. That smell lingers for quite a while."

Derek tensed again and Isaac pressed their legs together to help him relax. "Just how much about the supernatural world do you know?"

"217 years, my friend. That means quite a lot," Paul said. His expression grew serious. "Besides, the smell of that kind of emptiness sticks with you for quite some time, and it's rather overpowering."

Derek ducked his head, staring down at the table. "I'm trying to help him."

"No offense, mate, but you're barely an Alpha. I think he's going to need more than just you in the long run."

"My power is split with another of our pack," Derek said.

Paul frowned. "Now that _is_ something I haven't heard of. This pack member must be quite remarkable. I just thought you were a bit on the weak side."

Derek snorted. "Well thanks."

"You're welcome," Paul said.

"Do you have any books? About all the supernatural stuff you've got experience with?" Isaac asked.

Both Derek and Paul gave him a curious look.

"Why?" Paul asked.

Isaac shrugged, glancing to Derek and then over to Paul. "It's just...we have a Banshee in our pack. We have a few books on what she might be able to do but it wouldn't hurt to have more."

Paul nodded. "Yeah, no problem. I actually have the diary of a Banshee in my room." He broke into a grin. "Actually, she told me to always keep it on me, because one day a girl would need it. I guess that's your pack mate."

Derek and Isaac exchanged a look before staring back at Paul, incredulous.

"Just what all can a Banshee do?" Derek asked.

"That's in the diary, mate. Never read it myself to be honest," Paul said with a shrug. He finished off his mug of hot chocolate and then began to pull himself out of the booth. "Enough of this supernatural talk. Let's go find Jackson."

Isaac shoved down his burning questions, his need to see Jackson outweighing his curiosity.

 

-.-

 

Beating James was almost embarrassingly easy. Jackson managed to knock him over right near the start and the kid ended up sliding across the finish line on his ass, unable to get himself back up right after he was knocked down. Nicole and Lauren both hugged him after, but he was more concerned about finding Isaac and Derek, who were lurking with Paul behind the small crowd of parents.

"Pretty sure you beat everyone by a solid minute," Paul said.

"Yeah, probably. What can I say, I got better," Jackson said.

"He knows," Isaac said. "About the whole. Werewolf thing."

Jackson almost dropped his board. "Oh. Well."

"And he's a Selkie," Derek said.

Paul gave Derek a half-hearted glare. "Thanks, mate, because I totally didn't want to tell him that myself."

"Well, I'm hungry, and clearly you all need to explain some of this to me, so we should go into town. Away from all these guys," Jackson said, waving his hand at the scattered groups of people around them. "Which, I totally don't appreciate you hiding that from me this long." He fixed Paul with a pointed stare.

Paul scoffed and then slung his arm over Jackson's shoulder.

 

-.-

 

"Give me a few minutes to talk with Jackson, yeah?" Paul asked.

He'd been nice enough to drive them into town and back, and while he'd explained just what a Selkie was, a were-seal from Scotland, but more solitary than werewolves were, he apparently still had some more things to say for just Jackson's ears. Derek and Isaac each exchanged a glance but then piled out of the car, leaving Jackson alone in the passenger seat next to Paul.

"I've never seen Derek listen so well to someone else that wasn't...Isaac, actually," Jackson said.

"Well, I think I've managed to prove my worth to him," Paul said. He shifted in his seat to face Jackson head on. "Look, mate, I _am_ sorry for not telling you for so long, but I didn't even realize what you were, given that you're, you know, a turned werewolf, not natural born."

"Yeah, it's fine, I'm not actually mad or anything. You're...even older than I thought. It's not like you owed me or anything," Jackson said. "As far as you knew, I was just a spoiled little shit."        

"Oh, you still are that, don't get me wrong," Paul said with a grin.

"I will punch you, and it _will_ hurt significantly more than it used to," Jackson said with a roll of his eyes.

"I feel so threatened," Paul said. "But, in all seriousness, I'm glad you found people you don't hate, but you should know what you're getting into."

"I'm aware of what I've gotten into." He had enough nightmares of his days as the Kanima to remind him.

"Maybe you think so, but I've been around a lot longer," Paul said. "I know that I'm not exactly a father figure or anything like that; I don't see you nearly enough to think myself that important to you. That doesn't mean I don't want you to be careful though."

"I appreciate the concern, I guess," Jackson said. And he did, truly. Paul was right in saying that he as hardly the most important person in Jackson's life, but he had made life a little less miserable for two weeks out of the year, and that did count for something. "I'm just not sure why you're telling me all this though. I'm going to be careful."

"Right well, I'm going to tell you something I didn't tell your pack. Feel free to tell them I suppose," Paul said. "That's your decision." He craned around his seat to dig through his bag on the floor, pulling out a leather bound journal and dropping it into Jackson's lap. "That was given to me by a Banshee with very specific instructions to give it to the girl who needed it, and who hadn't quite yet come into her full power. I think that's the Banshee Derek and Isaac told me about, the one in your pack. I want you to give that to her."

"Okay," Jackson said, frowning. He fiddled with the metal clasp of the journal, but didn't open it. "Why though?"

"She said something was going to happen, a long time in the future," Paul said. "Well, it was a long time for her. She died in 1918. But she asked me to carry this with me until I found the person who best matched her description. She said I would know. She was worried then about something she could feel coming, and I suppose she must think the Banshee in your pack can help stop it with the guidance she provides in there. I don't know much more than that."

Jackson felt like his heart had dropped into his stomach. After everything they had gone through, he wasn't exactly keen on going against something so big that a Banshee from a hundred years ago had felt it coming. "Okay, I'll get it to her."

"Who knew we'd be so connected?" Paul shrugged. "I wasn't expecting that when I first gave you snowboarding lessons."

"Believe me, I didn't either," Jackson said. "I'll see you tomorrow though, probably."

"Nah, I think I'm going to head out," Paul said.

"What? Why?" Jackson asked.

"Getting the need to wander again," Paul said. "I feel like I've done what I needed to do."

"So you're just going to fuck off after dropping the 'oh by the way I'm a supernatural creature and also the world might be coming to end' bomb?" Jackson asked.

"Your mother has my number," Paul said. "If you really need me you can call, but you've got your pack Jackson. I'm hardly an ally you need. I'm a lover, not a fighter. I avoid violence as much as possible."

"Okay, so I don't need you around. That doesn't mean I want to spend the rest of this vacation with you gone," Jackson said.

"I appreciate the sentiment," Paul said with a smile. "Just a phone call away if you really need me though. Have a good year, Jackson."

Jackson climbed out of the car, feeling a little odd and almost lost. It was weird though, because everything Paul was saying was right. Jackson didn't _need_ Paul around to survive, not the way he needed Isaac and Derek and Lydia and everyone else in the pack like he needed air. That thought made him go still though as he went to open the front door. For the first time in a long while, Olivia hadn't slipped into his mind. In fact, even thinking of her didn't cause the usual pain of horrible loneliness.

A ridiculous smile spread across his lips, his anxiety about what Paul had said to him, and about the time bomb he grasped in his hand, fading away. He gave a cursory wave to his parents before bounding up the steps to his room. When he opened the door, he flung the journal onto the dresser before kicking the door shut and hopping on the bed where Isaac was stretched out on his back. Isaac's eyes went wide when Jackson straddled his hips.

"What's got you so excited?" Isaac asked.

"I thought about Olivia," Jackson said, still smiling. "I thought about her and I don't...feel anything. I don't feel like running after her, or trying to find her, or any of that."

Realization dawned on Isaac's face. "Oh. That..."

Derek opened the bathroom door, a towel slung around his hips and another in his hand as he toweled his hair dry. "What's happening?"

"I don't need Olivia," Jackson said, giving Derek his best come hither look. It seemed to work from the way the red color of the Alpha bled through Derek's eyes. "I just need you guys. Just you. You're the only ones that matter. My pack."

"Good boy," Derek breathed.

Isaac grabbed his shoulder and pushed him back towards the edge of the bed and Jackson twisted just in time for Derek to wrap his arms around Jackson's waist and haul him into a harsh, biting kiss. Jackson whined as the claiming kiss sent shocks through his body. His hands slid deep into Derek's hair, twisting hard as his back arched, pushing his clothed body closer to Derek's, but it wasn't enough because he wanted Derek all over his skin.

Isaac's hands shifted to start tugging at his pants, pulling them down followed by his jacket. To wiggle Jackson out of his shirt, Jackson had to part his lips from Derek's, but the instant the shirt was out of the way, Jackson was back in Derek's arms, clawing at his skin in a desperate attempt to get closer. Derek shoved him down onto the bed before stretching out over him. Isaac shifted back against the headboard. After a hard suck on Jackson's bottom lip, Derek pulled back and pushed Jackson up between Isaac's legs again, giving him something firm to lean back against, before ducking his head down to start nipping at his chest.

Each of Derek's actions were possessive and painful, but in a way that made the euphoric feeling in Jackson's chest expand out to all of his limbs. Isaac's lips found their way to his earlobe, sucking lightly at it as Derek's lips sealed around the tip of his cock. Jackson squirmed, hips bucking up, and unlike before when he had needed to feel Isaac and Derek holding him back, he was allowed to seek his pleasure in the heat of Derek's mouth.

"You want us to keep going?" Isaac asked.

Jackson nodded, hands sliding down into Derek's hair. Derek's gaze turned up to him, the deep red color making Jackson shudder and buck harder up into his mouth.

"Wanna come on you," Jackson murmured.

Derek pulled off of his dick, swiping the broad flat of his tongue over the tip one more time before leaning back on his heels and shedding the bit of towel he had left covering him. "Seems we should switch positions then, huh?"

Jackson swallowed thickly. "You serious?"

"You said that's what you wanted," Derek said.

"You're the Alpha though," Jackson said. "You're going to let me do that anyways?"

"It's give and take, Jackson. You're ours now, completely, but we're yours too," Isaac said. "That's how it works."

"Haven't felt like anyone's in a long time," Jackson said, voice growing quieter.

"The pack bond is finally starting to settle though," Derek said. "We can feel it just as much as you can."

"Best we keep reinforcing it then, yeah?" Jackson raised an eyebrow.

"You should convince me that's what you want," Derek said.

Jackson growled, a playful sound, and then he tackled Derek onto the bed. Isaac joined in, and between the two of them, they managed to pin Derek with Jackson straddling his chest and Isaac holding his arms down. Of course, if he really wanted, Derek could get free, but it almost meant more to Jackson that Derek was letting him take what he wanted.

"Gonna make good on your promise?" Derek asked with a raised eyebrow.

Jackson shifted up to straddle Derek's shoulders and Isaac released Derek's arms so the Alpha could wrap them around Jackson's waist instead. "Someone's gotta make my cock wet first."

Derek craned his neck forward and sucked down Jackson's length, tongue working around it as he bobbed his head up and down as best he could at such a limited angle. It was odd, being in such a dominating position when he usually craved the exact opposite so desperately. He didn't have much time to spend on those thoughts though, because Isaac knelt up and stole his lips for a filthy kiss that was more like a wet tongue fuck than anything else.

Just when he felt like the combined effort of Isaac's kiss and Derek's mouth was going to make him blow his load, Jackson shifted back. He stayed mostly where he was but pushed Derek's head down so he was lying flat once more. Jackson bit at his lip as he began to stroke his cock with long, slow pulls, taking his time as he stared down at Derek's face. The Alpha's lips swollen and wet from the job they had done on Jackson's dick.

"C'mon Jackson," Isaac murmured, brushing his lips across Jackson's forehead. "Wanna see you come all over him."

"Fuck," Jackson hissed.

He stroked a bit faster, and then Isaac's hand dropped to squeeze his balls. The added warmth proved too much and Jackson came with a shout that he muffled by biting into the fabric of Isaac's shirt. He kept his eyes locked on Derek's face though, watching as his come splattered across it and Derek's tongue snuck out to clean what it could from his lips.

Panting, Jackson shifted back down Derek's body so he was straddling his hips instead. His muscles were still spasming from his orgasm, but Jackson wasn't focused on that, too enthralled by seeing _his_ Alpha covered in _his_ seed, his scent. With a quiet moan, Jackson pressed their lips together, settling his smaller weight over Derek as he did so. Derek gave a contented sigh in response. The kiss was much gentler than the one Jackson had shared with Isaac, and it helped calm the tremors still shaking through him with every passing breath.

"I need to go..." Isaac's words trailed off as Derek and Jackson both shifted to look back at him. "What? Clearly you two are having a moment and my pants are _really_ tight, so I'm just going to go take a nice extended shower while you two sort yourselves out."

"Alright pup, be quick," Derek said, reaching an arm up and smacking Isaac's leg lightly.

Jackson returned his attention to Derek's face, lapping up the remains of his come before kissing Derek again. He wasn't too concerned about Isaac's leaving; after all, the other beta didn't seem too hurt by he and Derek 'having a moment' or whatever bullshit that was, so Jackson wasn't going to worry about it, not when he could just shove his come in Derek's mouth to make sure it got just about everywhere.

Derek's large, warm hands slid up and down his spine. Jackson wasn't aware of how long they kissed, but by the time he finally began to ease back, Derek's dick was soft again. He frowned as he propped himself up on his elbows on either side of Derek's chest.

"Do you...want me to return the favor?" Jackson asked.

Derek shook his head as he pushed his fingers through Jackson's hair. "Don't worry about it. I'm more concerned about you. You _feel_ better. The bond, I mean. It doesn't feel so...wrong anymore."

Jackson warmed at the words. "Doesn't feel wrong to me either. In fact, this is the first time I've felt right in a long time."

"What changed?"

 Jackson rested his cheek on Derek's chest over the Alpha's heart so he wouldn't have to look him in the eye. "I don't know. Just...having you here. Knowing that no matter how much I fuck up or how much of my rich, spoiled life you see, you're still going to be here. Something just clicked I guess."

The bathroom door opened and Isaac emerged dressed in what appeared to be a pair of Derek's sweatpants. "Cuddling time?"

"Yes, pup," Derek said, flinging a hand out towards him.

Isaac hopped up onto the bed and Jackson shifted so that they could both sprawl out on top of Derek together. He dozed, even with the light on, limbs tangling with his packmates. Part of him was worried about Paul's words and the journal sitting on his dresser not even five feet away, but that was something to focus on later. For once, he wasn't going to let a bit of worry get in the way of the happiness he'd finally managed to chase down.


End file.
